Meyer Lemon Chicken

Teaching parent-child cooking classes has been such a rewarding experience, especially for someone new to kids + nutrition. While the hospital physicians are able to refer overweight kids and families, the grant is working to stretch the food dollar. I mean, it’s a win-win situation for all parties involved.

I love team-teaching the class and having other professionals to plan with and enjoy the responsibilities and joys of teaching. The newspaper came this Wednesday and even did a story on the whole program. We’re drawing the attention of parents, teachers, medical professionals, and many more people throughout the community. It’s exciting stuff!

This week I fielded a phone call from one of the moms in the class.

“My daughter will at least try everything we make in the cooking class, but when we get the ingredients home to recreate the meal, she won’t touch it. What am I doing wrong?” she pleaded.

“Are you involving her in the meal preparation?” I asked.

She responded no, because of homework. While homework is a very valid excuse, I explained that helping prepare the meals is what encourages kids to actual eat the meals they prepare. Our elementary school participants use butcher knives and the oven…with supervision. And they don’t make “kid” food — they make orzo, salsas, and jambalaya!

While I do not have children of my own (yet!), I find working with children a lot like working with husbands. Well, at least my husband. He doesn’t like to be left in the dark about the meals we’ll eat during the week. He doesn’t enjoy being “surprised” with a Meatless Monday…every Monday.

Unlike my kiddos, husband wants nothing to do with meal prep (OR CLEAN-UP!), but he does like having a say in dinner plans. This meal satisfied his request for “normal” meals — a traditional meat and potato, if you will. I don’t often cook with bone-in chicken and bake in the skin, but heavens does it make for some juicy chicken. Yum!

Result: Simple flavors with a lot of tang from the lemons and wine. This recipe called for olives which I left out, but I think capers would work great, too. As is was fabulous, however. The chicken was incredibly moist and took on a lot of lemony goodness. And the potatoes…so tender in the Meyer lemon sauce. Delicious!

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February 1? Cray-zee. It sure looks and feels like February around Michigan – brrr! TGIF!

Comments

IT’s so true, involving the kids makes all the difference. If it’s just “made by mom or dad” it’s not as cool!!
Question for you Nicole….do you write the grants for these projects? I’m asking because I have an opportunity that may involve me writing grants and I wanted to know if you enjoyed it (I just read that on this post).

Hey! Sorry, Gina…been meaning to respond! I had a grant writing class in grad school, but I do not write the grants…our marketing departmetn actually does them. As for this particular cooking class, we partner with the local school district that is responsible for sending nutrition educators into the schools. Their program receives funding from grants and the USDA…I wish I knew more of the details!